I received a Ph. D. degree from you in May, 1993.

I came back to ISU as a visiting professor in ME department in August, 1998.

On returning to my family’s second hometown, we were pleased with many changes during the past 5 years.

It was so pleasant to see that Ames is one of the most growing cities in the States, maybe number one in Iowa.

I was so impressed by your leadership’s goal to become the nation’s best land-grant university.

So many new houses and apartments, new buildings built and being built around the campus, the food courts in the Memorial Union, Reiman Gardens, Research Park, etc. are so pleasing to Ames and ISU lovers.

One of the pleasures was to be able to watch news broadcasting in my own language, which was transmitted on STV-9 from SCOLA.

You must be aware of the cancellation of SCOLA due to its annual cost of $5,500.

SCOLA has been regarded as an educational tool, which cannot be afforded any more due to the cost increase.

On the other hand, as a matter of fact, it has been a valuable source of comfort to many international students, scholars and their families.

According to fall 1998 enrollment, there are 5.2 percent undergraduate and 32.7 percent graduate international students at ISU—much more including their family members.

Can you imagine that you’re in a foreign country where no English broadcasting is available for a long time?

Students or scholars may rely on the Internet for news about their home countries instead of SCOLA. However, their families may not.

I believe that you appreciate efforts of family members to make education possible.

That’s why you ask all the family members to stand up for a big hand at every commencement ceremony.

I think it would be thoughtful if ISU makes SCOLA available to international families, who deserve it in every respect.

It would be a little reward to them.

Not only to become the nation’s best land-grant university, ISU is also aiming to become the best internationally.

Could you think of the best international university without SCOLA or any other means of services to its students and families?

I’ll greatly appreciate if you consider this matter and help SCOLA back on the air.

If necessary, I’ll gladly donate to help it.

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Jong-Suk Lee

Visiting professor

Mechanical engineering